Game



Dec.10,1940. I A. HESS 2,224,730v

GAME

Filed March 26, 1940.

7 1i INVENTOR wrruzsszs flaron 1122555 I BY ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 10, 1940 UNITED STATES P'ATENT -QOFFICE Aaron Hess, Lake Como, N.

Application March 26, 1940, Serial No. 325,947

2 Claims. (Cl. 273-127) V This invention relates to an improved game and has for an object to provide a construction wherein skill is required and wherein the earned credits for any one player may be kept separate f-rom'those of his competitors.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a game of the character described a housing provided with a plurality of independent rooms and an inwardly swinging door for each room.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a game a housing formed from a single blank cut and bent to provide a rectangular frame having end and division walls, a back wall and a plurality of spaced front legs, whereby when the parts have been bent into their finished position a ball or other projectile may be moved between the respective legs into any of the rooms formed by the division walls.

In the accompanying drawing- Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a game embodying the invention, the same being shown resting on a flat support;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view through Fig. 1 approximately on the line 3-3;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of Fig. 1 approximately on the line 4-4;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the doors shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the blank from which the housing shown in Fig. 1 has been formed.

Referring to the accompanying drawing by numerals, l indicates the blank as a whole, which is formed with What may be termed a rectangular frame 2, and from this frame extends an integral rear flange 3 and a front flange 4. Also there is provided on the frame an end flange 5 which is of the same size as the various division walls 6. The division walls 6 are formed by providing a cut I and then bending the material along the line 8. The flanges 3 and 4 are wider than the various walls 6 so that these walls do not touch the support 9 when in use, as illustrated particularly in Fig. 3. The flange 3 is bent down as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 4 and is formed with a rounded edge [0 so as not to injure the support 9, which may be a table or any suitable flat surface. The front flange 4 has cutaway portions H, which form doorways having a post l2 on each side thereof. Each of the posts I! is formed with a bent-out portion or foot l3 which coacts with the portion IU of flange 3 and. supports the frame '2 in" a horizontal position, as illustrated particularly 'in Fig. 4. When bending the division walls 6 downwardly, they are offset at 6 so that the parts will be stiffened and thereby the entire structure strengthened. 5 On the flange 4,-immediatelyabove the center of each of the doorways ll, there are provided a plurality of openings formed as holes or slots l4. These holes are adapted to receive the turned-over'ears or extensions I5 and I6 of the 10 door or door member- H, as illustrated in Figs.

4 and 5 so as to provide a hinge structure. It will be evident that the hinge construction could be reversed andthe holes or slots l4. provided in the door and the hinge ears or extensions placed on the body. It will also be evident that other forms of hinges could be provided withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

The blank I shown in Fig. 6 is preferably made of sheet metal though it could be made of other 20 suitable sheet material without departing from the spirit of the invention. The same is true of the door II. This is made of flat sheet material and when the ears l5 and I6 are curled into circles, as shown in Fig. 5, there will remain the upwardly projecting stop I8 which rests against the flange 4 and prevents the door II from swinging in one direction from a vertical position. However, the various doors may swing inwardly to any desired extent to allow the marble, ball, or other projectile l9 to readily pass into any of the rooms 20. The spaces between the respective division walls 6 are adapted to be called rooms or compartments and these rooms or compartments are closed at all points except the top.

When the device is in use and there are two or more players, each player projects a ball or marble IS with the idea of entering one of the rooms. If the ball strikes the door I! fairly the 40 door will swing inwardly and allow the ball to move into the room, as shown inFig. 4. After a ball once enters a room it cannot move laterally to the next room and, consequently, the player will receive only the credit which is indicated by the legend 2| on the door. By reason of the stop l8, the door I! cannot swing out wardly and, consequently, the marble or other projectile cannot move outwardly. After all the 50 projectiles have been used by the various players, each player may count his credits, or an umpire may count the credits by inspecting and. counting the balls through the open tops of the various rooms. This count also may be done by reaching into the rooms and removing the marbles or other projectiles. After the credits have been counted preferably the entire device is lifted off the support 9 so that the projectiles may be readily moved to one side.

Preferably the frame 2 is provided with openings 22 of any desired shape to receive part of the various outriggers 24 and 25. These outriggers function as fences or abutments to prevent marbles from going past the frame 2 and associated parts when they do not approach the front of the device properly. Each of these outriggers is formed with a body 26 and a suitable hook member 27 which is removably placed in one of the openings 22. The Outriggers may be readily removed at any time so as to easily fit into a box when the device is to be put away or stored.

While the device may be made of any desired size, it is intended for use by small children and, therefore, is made comparatively small so as to be used with marbles on the floor of a home, on a table, or other flat support.

While the credit numerals 2| have been shown in rotation in Fig. 1, it will be evident that these numerals could be rearranged in any desired order without departing from the spirit of the invention. Also, if desired, numerals indicating extra credits could be indicated on the doors at the edges of the device as it usually is more difficult to project a marble into an end room than into some of the centrally located rooms.

It will be understood that when the word opening is used it is to include any kind of an opening, as for instance, a round hole, a slot, or other shape aperture.

Iclaim:

1. A game including a sheet material target having a plurality of rooms, said target being formed of one piece and having a rectangular frame provided with rectangular openings in the top, said frame having a plurality of sections bent down from the frame and functioning as partitions for forming division walls between rooms, a rear member bent down from said frame forming a rear wall for all of said rooms and a front member bent down from said frame functioning as a front wall for all of said rooms, said front wall having a plurality of spaced door openings extending from the bottom edge of said front member upwardly to near said frame and a pair of hinge receiving apertures above each door open.

2. In a game, a single-piece target having a plurality of rooms, said target being formed from a blank having a row of substantially rectangular sections adapted to be bent to extend'at right angles to the original surface of the blank for presenting end walls and division walls between rooms, a single flange spaced from one side edge of said row of sections, said flange being adapted to be bent so as to extend at right angles to its original position to form a rear Wall for all of said rooms, and a second single flange spaced from the other side edge of said row of sections, said second single flange being adapted to be bent so as to extend at right angles to its original position to form a front wall for all of said rooms, said second single flange having spaced door openings extending from the outer edge to near the bending line of the flange, said second single flange having a pair of apertures immediately above each door opening for the reception of door hinge members.

AARON HESS. 

